This interview aired yesterday on NewsWatch OleMiss.

The 2025 Black History Month concert, “If Love Fails, Try Nothing Else,” will commence at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25 at the Gertrude C. Ford Center.

Angela Brown, a two-time Grammy Award-winning soprano, will be accompanied by pianist Amanda Johnston. The pair will showcase the works of Black composers.

“Our program promises to be compelling, including works by Richard Danielpour, Nkeiru Okoye and John Daniel Carter,” Johnston said. 

Don Trott, director of choral activities at the university, hopes to emphasize the voice of Black composers. 

“Over the many years Dr. George Dor produced the Black History Month Concerts, he has invited me to have several of our choirs participate. It not only allows us to perform repertoire with a focus on celebrating Black composers, it also allows our students to be part of a larger celebration with a focus on the importance of Black culture in the arts and our society,” Trott said. 

Founder and director of the Ole Miss African Drum and Dance Ensemble George Dor has produced the Black History Month concert since 2005 and looks forward to celebrating this milestone with a powerful lineup of performances. 

“I prepare my ensemble for each concert. However, I am excited and grateful for the participation of our department ensembles. Angela Brown, this year’s guest artist, an opera diva and world-renowned, Grammy Award-winning soprano, will be my highest point of the concert,” Dor said.

Sophomore Southern studies and journalism major Nicholas Beaumont attended the Black History Month Concert last year and has fond memories of the experience. 

“The African and Dance Ensemble was my favorite part of the concert. Everybody in the audience was interacting with the music in some way, and I felt like it really emphasized the unity that Dr. Dor wants people to feel from his performances,” Beaumont said.

Junior journalism major Jess Mitchell sees the event as an opportunity to focus on the diversity of the university.  

“It’s really cool to see that the university has been able to find the time and space for 20 years to prioritize celebrating diversity through music,” Mitchell said.